Elizabeth (Liz) Baronowski was born in 1951, was raised in Los Angeles and was the youngest of four siblings. She attended California State University / LA and graduated with a degree in Zoology. She had wanted to be a veterinarian, but she was not admitted into the program because she was a woman. Her passion growing up were animals and on graduation she joined the Pasadena Humane Society and was employed there for 40 years. In her early years, she “did everything that needed to be done”. Over the years she excelled in many areas of the Society’s mission specifically in service to both animals and humans.
She was key in helping the Pasadena Humane Society become known internationally. She developed education programs and volunteer programs that became standardized throughout the nation.
For many years she was in charge of volunteer and education programs at the Society. She developed education programs to serve underserved and underprivileged people. That included a program for foster children which provided emotional support and at the same time taught those children how to care for pets. And she developed a volunteer program to engage homeless people with pets at the Society. With the challenges this population had, she was amazed at how a pet’s love could mellow those challenges. She said “there’s nothing like a pets love to make a person feel better”. She also was in charge of animals visiting local nursing homes. When the fires hit in SoCal, she was boots on the ground housing lost pets and reconnecting them with owners.
One of her big accomplishments was starting America’s Family Pet Expo that became a standard for many Humane Societies around the country. The expo included programs on adoption, rescuing pets, pet care and training, volunteer programs, fundraising and how to maximize the performance of a non-profit organization a Humane Society. And in 2008 she was the Person of the Year in 2008 given by the World Wide Pet Industry Association.
When she retired, she moved to Port Orchard and lived with her sister, Margaret. She joined the Kiwanis Club of Port Orchard because of the Kiwanis mission to serve children. She was a past president and then again club president when she passed away March 7, 2023.
She was a master seamstress and initiated “Service at Your Seat” which became a monthly club activity. Members each month would assemble gift bags for children in hospitals, blankets for children in foster care and Coffee Oasis, toys for pets that were given to our local Humane Society. Her creativity was legendary with the Kiwanis club. And one of favorite parts of Kiwanis meetings was the joke segment.
She is deeply missed by her family, past co-workers and Kiwanis Club members.
In Memory
Liz Baronowski
6/5/51 – 3/7/23
Kiwanis Member
2014 – 2023
President
Past President
Elizabeth (Liz) Baronowski was born in 1951, was raised in Los Angeles and was the youngest of four siblings. She attended California State University / LA and graduated with a degree in Zoology. She had wanted to be a veterinarian, but she was not admitted into the program because she was a woman. Her passion growing up were animals and on graduation she joined the Pasadena Humane Society and was employed there for 40 years. In her early years, she “did everything that needed to be done”. Over the years she excelled in many areas of the Society’s mission specifically in service to both animals and humans.
She was key in helping the Pasadena Humane Society become known internationally. She developed education programs and volunteer programs that became standardized throughout the nation.
For many years she was in charge of volunteer and education programs at the Society. She developed education programs to serve underserved and underprivileged people. That included a program for foster children which provided emotional support and at the same time taught those children how to care for pets. And she developed a volunteer program to engage homeless people with pets at the Society. With the challenges this population had, she was amazed at how a pet’s love could mellow those challenges. She said “there’s nothing like a pets love to make a person feel better”. She also was in charge of animals visiting local nursing homes. When the fires hit in SoCal, she was boots on the ground housing lost pets and reconnecting them with owners.
One of her big accomplishments was starting America’s Family Pet Expo that became a standard for many Humane Societies around the country. The expo included programs on adoption, rescuing pets, pet care and training, volunteer programs, fundraising and how to maximize the performance of a non-profit organization a Humane Society. And in 2008 she was the Person of the Year in 2008 given by the World Wide Pet Industry Association.
When she retired, she moved to Port Orchard and lived with her sister, Margaret. She joined the Kiwanis Club of Port Orchard because of the Kiwanis mission to serve children. She was a past president and then again club president when she passed away March 7, 2023.
She was a master seamstress and initiated “Service at Your Seat” which became a monthly club activity. Members each month would assemble gift bags for children in hospitals, blankets for children in foster care and Coffee Oasis, toys for pets that were given to our local Humane Society. Her creativity was legendary with the Kiwanis club. And one of favorite parts of Kiwanis meetings was the joke segment.
She is deeply missed by her family, past co-workers and Kiwanis Club members.
11/6/23